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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



THE 



ESSENCE OF WHIST. 



W. H. HOGARTH. 

K -■ 

1'^ 



Age cannot wither it, nor custom stale 
Its infinite variety. 

Atitony <5r= Cleopatra. 




COl'NRIGHT, l8S8, i-V \V. H. HOGA-KTH. 



RkS! ECTiri.I.V I)EIjICATF.D 
TO 

.M . j . BAIL E Y , 
Pkesident of The Caki.eton Ci.ib. 

r.RCKiKLVN, N. V., BV 



The Althok. 



PREFACE. 



IN preparing the second edition of " The 
Essence of Whist." the writer disclaims 
any attempt at originahty in theory or prac- 
tice of the modern game of Whist, but ha> 
simply endeavored to put in convenient and 
concise form for ready reference, the most 
approved and largely adopted general rules 
for play, as prescribed by the leading authors 
in their more technical works. 



CONTENTS. 



t-ijrmation or i aDie^ - - ~ 9 

Cutting, - - - lo 

Cutting for Partners, - - - lo 

Cutting Out, - - - II 

Formation of Fresh Tables, - - ii 

Shuffling, - - - - 1-2 

Cutting to the Dealer, - - 12 

Dealing, - - - 13 

The Turn-up Card, - - 15 
Playing with the Wrong IS umber of Cards, 16 

Leading out of Turn, - - - 17 

Playing out of Turn, - - 18 

Exposed and Separated Cards, 19 
Cards Played in Error or not Played to a 

Trick, - - - 21 

The Revoke, - - 22 

Placing the Cards, - - 24 

Looking at the Last Trick, 25 

Scoring, - - - - 25 

Incorrect or Imperfect Packs, - 27 

Consultation by Partners, - - 27 

Bystanders, - - 28 

Dummy. - 28 

L>uuble Dummy, 

, I TK Ok Wh/si" 



29 



First Hand, - - - 34 

Second Hand, - - - 35 

Third Hand, - - - 35 

Fourth Hand, - - - 36* 

Command of Suits, - - 36 

Discarding, - - - - 36 

; ■ ■ ' ! ; • i \ -^ V ; 

First Hand — From Ace, etc., - 39 
From King, etc., - 40 
From Queen, etc., - 41 
From Knave, etc., 42 
From Ten, etc., - 42 
Second Hand — From Ace, etc. - - 42 
From King, etc., - 44 
From Queen, etc., 44 
Third Hand, - - - - 46 
Fourth Hand, - - - 50 
Management of Trumps, - - 50 
Returning your Partner's Lead of Trumps. 53 
Asking or Calling for Trumps, - 54 
Echo of the Call, - - - 55 
Force a Strong Trump Hand of the Ad- 
versary, - - - - 56 
Playing to the Board, - - 57 
Coups, - - - - 57 
Refusing to Win the Second Round of a 

Suit, - - - - 58 

Declining to Draw the Losing Trump, 59 

Refusing to Overtrump, - - 59 

Throwing High Cards to Place the Lead, 60 

Grand Coup, - - - 61 

Conversation of the Game, - - 61 

66 



LAWS OF WHIST. 



PMATION OF TABLE. 

1. If more than four candidates assemble, 
the players are selected by cutting ; those first 
in the room having in strictness the preference. 
The six lowest belong to the table; the foiir 
lowest play^the first rubber [vide Law 8). 

2. Should less than six assemble, fresh 
candidates have the right of entry in the order 
of their arrival. 

3. A table is full with six players. Should 
a seventh cut, or should a seventh arrive, he 
does not belong to the table {vide Law i). 
But, if one of the original six leaves, the 
seventh has the next right of entry. 

4. A fresh candidate who desires to play 
the next rubber, must declare in before any of 
the players have cut, for the purpose ot com- 
mencing such rubber, or of cutting out. 



5- In cutting, the ace is the kowest card. 

6. All must cut from the same pack. 

7. Should a placer expose more than one 
card in cutting, he must cut again. 

CUTTING FOR PARTNER? 

8. Should the players have been selected 
by cutting (vide Law i), they cut again for 
partners. 

9. In cutting for partners, the two highest 
play against the two lowest. The lowest has 
the deal and the choice of seats and cards ; 
lie must alude hy his first selection. If the 
two lowest cut cards of equal value, they cut 
again for deal, 

10. If two players cut intermediate cards 
of equal value, those two cut again for part- 
ners. Exariiple : a three, two sixes and a 
knave are cut ; the two sixes cut again, and 
the lowest plays with the three. Thus, if the 
second cut consists of a king and a queen, the 
queen plays with the three. If at the second 
cut, a lower card than the three is cut, the 
three retains its privileges as the lowest {vide 
Law 9). 

10 



11. Jf three players cut cards of equal 
value, those three cut again. If the fourth 
cut the highest card, the two lowest of the 
new cut are partners. If the fourth cut the 
lowest card, lie is the dealer, and the two 
highest of the new cut are partners. 

CUTTING OUT. 

12. At the end of a rubber, should any 
candidates be waiting to come in, the players 
who have played the greatest number of con- 
secutive rubbers are out. Should all have 
played an equal number, they cut to decide 
which are to go out. The highest are out. 

13. If a player quits the table when it is 
not his turn to go out, only one of the other 
players can be called on to retire ; as only 
two players can enter at a time, if two of the 
original players wish to remain in. 

FORMATION OF FRESH TABLES. 

14. A player who belongs to one table {vide 
Law I), has no right to enter another, if the 
required complement of players can be pro- 
cured from candidates who have not played. 

15. Should a player belonging to one table 



cut into another, he belongs to the table at 
which he last played. 

1 6. If a player leaves a table and so breaks 
it up, the remaining players have the prior 
right to him of entering any other table. ' 

SHUFFLING. 

17. The pack must not be shuffled [a) below 
the table; nor (d) so as to expose the face of 
any card ; nor (c) during the play of the hand; 
nor (d) except the pack is new, by dealing it 
into packets, nor across the table. 

18. Each player has a right to shuffle once 
only (a) prior to a deal; (^) prior to. a fresh 
deal [mde Law 23); and (c) before a fresh cut 
{vzd^ Law 22). 

19. The dealer's partner must collect the 
cards of the dormant pack. He has the first 
right to shuffle that pack. 

20. The dealer has a right to a final shuffle 
(notwithstanding Law 18). Should he ex- 
pose a card in shuffling, he may be required 
to re-shuffle. 

CUTTING TO THE DEALER. 

21. In cutting to the dealer, not less than 
four cards must be cut from the top, and not 

12 



less than four must be left in the bottom pack- 
et. The player who has to cut, having once 
separated the pack, must abide by that cut. 

22. If, in cutting to the dealer, or in re- 
uniting the separated packets, a card is ex- 
posed, or if there is any confusion of the 
cards, or doubt as to the place \Yhere the pack 
was separated, there must be a fresh cut. 



23. When there is a fresh deal the same 
dealer deals again; when there is a mis-deal, 
tlie deal is forfeited to the adversaries. There 
must be a fresh deal if (a) during the deal, or 
during the play of a hand, the pack is found 
incorrect or imperfect {vide Law 73); if [d) 
during the deal, any card except the last is 
found to be faced in the pack. 

24. If a card is exposed during the deal, 
the side not in fault have a right to look at 
it, and the option of calling a fresh deal (ex- 
cept as provided in Law 27). If a fresh deal 
does not take place the exposed card, cannot 
be called. 

25. If the dealer happens to see the trump 
card during the deal, the adversaries may also 
see it, and may call a fresh deal. 

'3 



26. ( Vide Law 27). It is a mis-deal (vide 
Law 23) if (^) the dealer shuffles after the 
pack is cut with his consent ; if [b) the dealer 
omits to have the pack cut, and the adversa- 
ries discover the error before the trump card 
is turned, and before looking at their cards ; 
if [c) the cards are not dealt in regular rota- 
tion, beginning with the player to the dealer's 
left ; if (d) the cards are not dealt one at a 
time, except that if two cards are dealt to- 
gether to the same hand, the dealer may rec- 
tify his error prior to dealing a third card ; if 
(f) the dealer counts the cards on the table 
or those undealt in his hand; if [f) the dealer 
places the turn-up card face downwards on 
one of the hands ; if [g) the trump card does 
not come in its regular order to the dealer, 
the pack being perfect ; if (h) any hand has 
less than thirteen cards, and any other hand 
the corresponding surplus, even though the 
hand has been partly played out. (If the 
other hands have not the corresponding sur- 
plus, Law 35 comes into operation.) 

27. If the adversaries touch their cards 
during the deal, prior to the dealer's partner 
having done so, they lose their right to call a 
fresh deal (vide Law 24); and if the dealer 
commits any of the errors mentioned in Law 

14 



26, he does not lose the deal, but is entitled 
to deal over again. But, if during the deal 
a player touches his cards, the adversaries 
may afterwards do the same, without losing 
the benetit of a mis-deal, or their privilege of 
calling a fresh deal, should the occasion 
arise. 

2S. If the adversaries interrupt the dealer 
(as by questioning the score, or asserting that 
it is not his deal, and fail to establish such 
claim), and the dealer commits any of the 
errors mentioned in Law^ 26, he does not lose 
his deal. 

29. If the dealer deals out of turn, or with 
the wTong pack, he may be stopped before 
the trump card is turned ; but otherwise the 
deal stands good. 

30. If a player takes his partner's deal, and 
mis-deals, the latter loses his deal, and the 
adversary next in rotation to the player who 
ou;:^ht to have dealt then deals. 

^ t I UKIN-UP CARD. 

31. ( Vide, also Law 26, paragraphs/ and ^.) 
The dealer is bound to leave the turn-up card 
face upwards on the table till it is his turn to 
play, when he may mix it wdth his other cards. 
After this no one has a right to be informed 

15 



what card was turned up, nor who dealt; but 
any player may be told what the trump suit 
is. 

32. If the trump card is left on the table 
after the first trick is turned and quitted,. it is 
liable to be called. Note : this penalty is 
never enforced. 

33. If the dealer takes the trump card into 
his hand before it is his turn to play, he may 
be required to show it ; if he shows a wrong 
card, that card may be called {vide Laws 43, 
45). If he declares himself unable to recollect 
the trump card he may be required to play 
(a) his highest or (b) his lowest trump at any 
time during the hand {vide Law 75). - 

34. If a player names the trump card dur- 
ing the play of the hand, he is liable to have 
{a) his highest or {0) his lowest trump called 
{vide Law 75). 

PLAYING WllH THE WRONG NUMBER OF 
CARDS. 

35. Every player, before he plays, is bound 
to count to see that he holds thirteen cards. If 
a player plays to the first trick, holding less 
than thirteen cards, and the other players 
have their right number, the deal stands 
good. The player who has played with less 

16 



than thirteen cards, is as answerable for any 
revoke he may have made, as though the miss- 
ing card had been in his hand. He may 
search the other pack for it {vide Law 26, 
paragraph //, for the rule when the other 
players have not their right number of cards, 
and Laws 36, 49 and 50, for the rule respect- 
ing redundancies or deficiencies which ac- 
crue during the play, and Law 73, for the 
rule respecting imperfection of the pack). 

36. If a player takes into the hand dealt 
to him, a card belonging to the other pack, 
the adversaries may call a fresh deal. 

L.-Ai.'iiNG OUT OF TURN. 

37. ( Vide also Laws respecting playing out 
of turn, Nos. 41, 42.) If any player leads out 
of turn, the adversaries may call [vide Laws 
43, 45) the card led in error; or they may 
call a suit {vide Laws 40 and 75) from the 
offender or his partner, when it is next the 
turn of that side to lead. It follows that if 
a player leads when it is his partner's turn, 
the adversaries can call a suit from the right 
player. If they allow him to lead as he 
pleases, the only penalty that remains is to 
call the card led in error. 

38. If a player plays to an imperfect trick 

17 



the best card on the table, and then leads 
without waiting for his partner to play; or if 
a player having led leads again (one or more 
cards) without waiting for his partner to play, 
the partner may be required to win if he can, 
the hrst, or any other of the cards led. If 
the lead is thus given to the partner, the re- 
maining cards improperly played may be 
called {vide Laws 43, 45). 

39. If a player leads out of turn, and the 
other three follow him, the trick is completed, 
and the error cannot be rectified. But if only 
the second or the second and third players 
have played to the false lead, their cards, on 
discovery of the mistake, may be taken back; 
and such cards cannot be called. The origi- 
nal offender (or his partner) is liable to the 
penalties for leading out of turn (vide Law 37). 

40. If a player called on to lead a suit, has 
none of it, he plays as he pleases, and the 
penalty is deemed to be paid [vide Law 75). 



41. ( F/^/? also Laws respecting leading out 
of turn 37, 39). If the third hand plays be- 
fore the second, the fourth has a right to play 
before his partner. 

42. If the fourth hand plays before the 

18 



second and third, the second may be required 
to win or not to win the trick {;vide Law 75). 
It follows that if the second player has none 
of the suit led, he may be required either to 
trump or not to trump the trick. 

EXPOSED AND SEPARATED CARDS. 

43. An exposed card, i.e., a card shown 
face upwards on or above the table, is liable 
to be called {vide Law 45). If it is retaken 
intt) the hand, the adversaries may require it 
to be placed face upwards on the table, and 
they are not bound to name it. 

44. Cards separated from the rest of the 
hand, but still held by the player, are not ex- 
posed ; they are detatched cards. A detached 
card, if named, is liable to be called (vide 
Law 45). Should the adversaries name a 
wrong card, the right one cannot afterwards 
be called, and the mis-caller or his partner is 
liable to have a suit called {;vide Laws 40 and 
75) when next it is the turn of that side to 
lead. N'ote : cards dropped below the table 
are in strictness detatched ; but they should 
not be purposely looked at by the adversaries, 
and they cannot be called. 

45. Cards liable to be called must be left 
face upwards on the table, and not taken 

19 



into the player's hand again. The player is 
bound to play them when they are called, 
provided he can do so without revoking. The 
call may be repeated at every trick till the 
card is played. A player cannot be prevent- 
ed from playing a card liable to be called. 
If he can get rid of it in the course of play, 
no penalty remains. 

46. If two or more cards are exposed in 
playing to a trick, the adversaries may choose 
which shall be played to the current trick ; 
and they may afterwards call the others. 

47. If two or three players throw their 
cards on the table face upwards, each player's 
exposed hand may be called {vide Laws 43, 
45) by his adversaries. But should all four 
throw down their cards, the game is aban- 
doned, and no claim that the game might 
have been won or saved can be entertained, 
unless a revoke is established {^ide Law 51.) 
Throwing down the cards is then construed 
as an act of play equivalent to playing again ; 
the revokers are liable to Law 61, except 
that the penalty cannot be exacted by taking 
three of their tricks. 

48. If a player legally called on to play 
the highest or the lowest of a suit, or to win 
or not to win a trick, or called on to lead a 



suit, fails to comply, and it appears, after the 
trick is turned and quitted, or after he or his 
partner has played to the next trick, that he 
could have complied with the demand, he 
incurs the revoke penalty [vide Law 6i ). 

CARDS PLAYED IN ERROR OR NOT PLAYED 
TO A TRICK. 

49. If a player plays two cards to a trick 
or mixes the turn-up or one of his cards with 
a trick to which it does not belong, and the 
mistake is not discovered until he has played 
again, he is answerable for any consequent 
revokes he may have made. If the error is 
detected during the play of the hand, the 
tricks may be examined face downwards to 
ascertain whether they contain a card too 
many. If one is found to contain a surplus 
card, it may be searched and the card restor- 
ed ; the player is liable for any revoke he 
may have meanwhile made, should he not 
have followed suit in the suit to which the 
card belongs [vide Law 26, paragraph /;, and 
Laws 35, 36, 50 and 73). 

50. If a player omits to play to a trick, 
and such error is not discovered until he has 
played to the next, the adversaries may call a 
fresh deal. If they allow the deal to stand. 



the surplus card is considered at the end of 
the hand to be played to the imperfect trick, 
but it does not constitute a revoke therein. 

THE REVOKE. 

51. Should any player not follow suit, 
when he holds some of the suit led, and not 
discover his error before the trick is turned 
and quitted, or before he or his partner has 
played to the next trick (notwithstanding that 
the previous trick remains unturned) he re- 
vokes. 

52. Should a player not follow suit when 
he can, and discover his error before the re- 
voke is established vide Law 51 the adver- 
saries may call on the offender to substitute 
[a) his highest, or [b) his lowest card [vide 
Law 75) of the suit led, for the card played in 
error ; or they may allow the player to play 
as he pleases to the current trick, in which 
case they may call [vide I^aws 43, 45) to any 
subsequent trick the card improperly played 
[vide also Law 53.) 

53. If a player discovers his mistake after 
any of the subsequent players have played to 
the trick, they are at liberty to withdraw their 
cards and play differently ; the cards thus 
withdrawn cannot be called. 

22 



54- When a player does not follow suit, 
his partner is permitted to ask him whether 
he has any of the suit led. The adversa- 
ries must not turn the trick until the question 
has been replied to. 

55. At the end of a hand, the claimants of 
a revoke may search all the tricks. If the ac- 
cused parties mix the tricks before the adver- 
saries have examined them, the revoke is i/sty 
facto established. 

56. A revoke cannot be claimed after the 
cards are cut for the next deal. 

57. Any player may require a hand in 
which a revoke has l)ee!n detected to be 
played out. 

58. If both sides revoke, the penalty [vide 
Law 61) is exacted from each side by the ad- 
versaries, and neither side can score game 
that hand. 

59. If a player revokes more than once in 
a hand, any of the penalties [vide Law 61) 
may be taken for each revoke. 

60 It is not fair to re\oke on purpose. 
Having made one revoke, a player is not 
justified in making a second in order to con- 
ceal the first. 

61. When a revoke is proved, the adver- 
saries [a\ may add three to their score ; or [b) 
2; 



they may take down three from the score of 
the revoking party; or (c) three of their 
tricks and add them to their own ; and, in 
whatever way the penalty is enforced, the 
side revoking cannot score game that hand. 
The penalty cannot be divided, i.e., a player 
cannot add one to his own score and deduct 
two from that of his adversaries, and so on. 

62. The revoke penalty takes precedence 
of all other scores. Thus, if the player re- 
vokes when the adversaries are at two to 
love, the adversaries win a treble, notwith- 
standing that the player revoking made thir- 
teen tricks and holds four by honors. Bets 
on the odd trick, or on the amount of the 
score, are decided by the actual state of the 
score after the revoke penalty is exacted. 

«1.40«NG THE CARDS. 

63. Any player, during the play of a trick, 
or after the four cards are played, but not 
after they are touched for the purpose of 
gathering them, may require the players to 
place their cards before them. 

64. If a player, before his partner has 
played, places his card without being required 
to do so, or names it, or says that the trick is 
his, the adversaries may require the offender's 

24 



partner to play [a) his highest or (^) his low- 
est card of the suit led, or (if he has none of 
the suit) to win or not to win the trick [vzde 
Law 75)- ■ 

LOOKING AT THE LAST TRICK. 

65. Each player may demand to see the 
last turned and quitted trick. At most eight 
cards can be seen, viz.: four on the table not 
turned and quitted, and the previous trick. 

SCORING. 

66. A rubber is the best two out of three 
games. If the same players win the first two 
games the third game is not played. 

67. A game consists of five points, reck- 
oned by tricks, by honors, and by revoke 
penalties (ViWe Laws 61, b2j. Each trick 
above six, made in the play of one hand, 
counts one point. Honors (ace, king, queen 
and knave of trumps) are scored thus: if a 
player and his partner (one or both) hold four 
honors, they score four points ; any three 
honors, they score two points ; any less num- 
ber, they do not score honors. 

6S. Players, who at the commencement of 
25 



the deal are at the point of four, cannot score 
honors. 

69. To score honors is not sufficient ; they 
must be claimed audibly before the trump 
card of the next deal is turned up. If so 
claimed they may be scored at any time dur- 
ing the game. If honors are not claimed be- 
fore the trump card of the next deal is turned 
up, they cannot be scored. 

70. The winners gain ((7) a treble, or game 
of tliree points, when they score five before 
tlieir adversaries have scored anything; (^) a 
doul)le, when their adversaries have scored 
only one or two; (c) a single, when their ad- 
versaries have scored three or four. 

71. The winners of the rubber gain two 
points (the rubber points) in addition to the 
value of their games. Should the ru])ber con- 
sist of three games, the value of the loser's 
game is deducted from the gross number of 
points gained by their opponents. 

72. An erroneous score (if proved) maybe 
corrected at any time during the game in 
which it occured, and at any time before the 
trump card of the first deal of the next game 
is turned up. An erroneous score (if proved) 
affecting the amount of a game already scored, 
{i.f.j of a single, double or treble scored, 

26 



one by mistake, for the other) may he rectified 
at any time during the rubber. 

OORRECT OR IMPERFECT PACKS. 

73. If a pack, during or after a rubber, is 
found to be incorrect or imperfect, the hand 
in which the imperfection was detected is 
null and void ; the dealer deals again. But 
the discoveiy does not alter any past score, 
game or rubber [vide Law 26, paragraph h, 
and Laws 35, 36, 49 and 50. ) 

74. Torn or marked cards must be replaced 
by agreement among the players. A player 
may call for new cards at his own expense. 
The dealer chooses which pack he will deal 
with. 

CONSULTATION BY PARTNERS. 

75. When a player and his partner have 
the option of exacting one of two penalties, 
or of calling a suit, they may agree who is to 
make the election, but they must not consult 
which of the two penalties it is advisable to 
exact, or which suit they shall call. If they 
do so consult, they lose their right. As soon 
as one of the penalties or suits is demanded, 
that decision is final, and another penalty or 

27 



suit cannot afterwards be called for [vide 
Law 40). In exacting the revoke penalty 
partners have a right to consult. 

r3YSTANDERS, 

76. If a bystander makes any remark, 
which calls attention to and so affects the 
score, he is liable to be called on by the 
players only to pay all their stakes and bets 
on the game or rubber. 

77. A bystander, by agreement among the 
players, may be made referee on any question. 
No player should object to refer to a disin- 
terested bystander, who professes himself 
able to decide any disputed question of fact. 

DUMMY, 

78. Dummy must deal at the commence- 
ment of each rubber. 

79. Dummy is not liable to the penalty for 
a revoke, as his adversaries see his cards. 
Should he revoke, and the error not be dis- 
covered until the trick is turned and quitted, 
the hand must proceed, and no penalty ac- 
crues for the revoke. 

80. Dummy, being blind and deaf, his 
partner is not liable to any penalty for an er* 

28 



ror whence he can gain no advantage. Thus, 
he may expose his cards without incurring 
any penalty. If he leads from the wrong 
hand, a suit may l)e called from the right one. 

3LE DUMMY. 

8l. There is no mis-deal, as the deal is a 
disadvantage. 



29 



ETIQUETTE OF WHIST. 



The following rules belong to the establish- 
ed Etiquette of Whist. It is difficult to apj^ly 
any penalty for their infraction ; the only rem- 
edy is to cease to play with players who 
habitually disregard them. 

Two packs of cards should be used. 

Anyone, having the lead and several win- 
ning cards to play, should not draw a second 
card out of his hand until this partner has 
played to the first trick, it being a distinct in- 
timation that the former has played a winning 
card . 

N'o intimation whatever^ by "H'o^n or gesture, 
should be given by a player as to the state of 
his hand, or the game. 

" \Ve must speak hy the card.'' 

The question "who dealt?" is irregular, 
and should not be answered. 

A player who desires the cards to be phiced 
or demands to see the last trick, should do it 
for his own information only, and not in order 
to invite the attention of his partner. 



By agreement among the players, one 
player may cut, shuffle or deal for his partner. 

No player should object to refer to a by- 
stander who professes himself uninterested 
in the game and able to decide any disputed 
question of facts, as to who played any par- 
ticular card, whether honors were claimed 
though not scored, or vice versa, etc., etc. 

Bystanders should make no remarks, 
neither should they by word or gesture give 
any information of the state of the game, un- 
til concluded and scored, nor should they 
walk around the table to look at the differ- 
ent hands. 



32 



GENERAL RULES FOR THE 
PLAY. 



FIRST HAND. 

Lead onginally froju your strongest suit. 

In selecting a suit, numerical strength is 
the principal point to look to. 

If you lead from a sequence, the card to be 
selected depends on the nature of the se- 
quence, i.e., whether it is a head sequence or 
an w«^(?r sequence.. 

Lead the highest of a head sequence. 

From intermediate sequences, with se- 
quences neither at top or bottom of a suit, 
lead the smallest of the sequence. 

Lead the highest of a numerically weak suit . 

Avoid changing suits. 

If you have not had the lead before it is 
advisable to open your strong suit when you 
possess ^;r£7/ strength, but with only a moder- 
ately strong suit, you would as a rule do l^et- 
ter to return your partner's original lead. 
When in doubt you should be governed by 
your strength in trumps. With a strong 

34 



trump hand,. play your own game; with a 
weak trump hand, play your partner's game. 
Rehirn the lowest of a strong smt, the high- 
est of a weak suit, 

1st Exception.— Wh^n you hold the winning 
card, return it, whatever number of cards 
you hold, lest it be trumped the third round, 
or your partner supposing it to be against 
him, should finesse. 

2nd Exception.— .-SS\i^n you hold the second 
and third best, in plain suits, you return the 
highest. 

SECOND HAND. 

Play your lowest card second hand. 

If, however, you have a sequence of high 
cards, such as queen, knave, ten, or knave, 
ten, nine, you play the lowest of a sequence 
if you are numerically weak, but with more 
than three cards of a suit, you pass a small 
card lead. 

Play the loivest of a sequence. 

THIRD HAND. 

In the first round of suit you should gener- 
ally playyoiir highest card in order to strengthen 
your partner. 

With ace, queen (and of course, ace, queen, 
35 



knave, etc., in sec[uence) you do finesse, for 
in this case, the finesse cannot be left to your 
partner. In trumps you may finesse ace, 
knave, if an honor is turned up to your right. 
Some players finesse knave with king. 

FOURTH HAND. 

Play of the fourth hand generally endeav- 
ors to take the trick. 

COMMAND OF SUITS. 

Keep the command of yout adversarf s suit. 
Get rid of the comma nd of your partner s 
suit. 

DISCARDING. 

Discard fro }n your weakest suit. 

When trumps are not declared against you, 
your partner will assume you are weak in the 
suit you first discard ; but, when trumps are 
declared against you, he will give you credit 
for strength in the suit from which you origi- 
nally throw away. 

It is clear that if the opponents declare 
great strength in trumps (by leading trumps 
or asking for them), that your chance of bring- 
ing in a suit is practically nil. You should, 

.S6 



therefore, in such cases, abandon the tactics 
you would otherwise adopt, and play to 
guard your weaker suits, by discarding from 
your best protected suit. You must, in fact, 
play a defensive game. This is most import- 
ant, as it affects subsequent leads. In the 
first case your partner will refrain from lead- 
ing the suit you have discarded ; in the second 
he will, unless he has a very strong suit of 
his own, select for his lead the suit in which 
you have shown strength by your discard. 
It must be borne in mind that it is only 
vour oriorinal discard which is directive. 



^1 



DETAILS OF THE PLAY. 



RST HAND. 

FROM ACE, ETC. 

Ace, king and others, lead king, then ace. 
Ace and king alone, lead ace, then king. 
Ace, king and others, after trumping another 
suit, lead ace, then king. 

In trumps, ace, king and five others, lead 
king, then ace. Ace, king and less than five 
others, lead small one. 

Ace, king and queen, lead the king, queen, 
then the ace. 

In trumps lead queen, king and ace. 

Ace, king, queen and knave, lead the king, 
then knave. 

In trumps, ace, king, queen, and knave, 
lead the knave, then ace. 

Ace, king and knave lead the king, then 
ace. If queen does not fall, lead the small- 
est of the suit. If you lead king and change 
the suit, your partner should know you have 
ace, knave, and desire the suit to be led up 
to you. 

Ace, queen, knave and another, lead the 
ace, then queen. 

39 



Ace, queen, knave, ten, lead ace, then the 
lowest of the sequence. 

Ace, queen, knave, and more than one 
small one, lead ace, then a low one. 

Ace, queen, ten and nine, lead the nine. 

In plain suits with more than four, lead the 
ace. In trumps, lowest of the ten, nine, 
sequence. 

Ace, knave, ten and nine, lead the nine, 
in plain suits with more than four, lead the 
ace, then the lowest of the sequence. 

In trumps, ace, queen, ten, etc., knave 
turned up at your right hand, lead the queen. 

In trumps, ace, knave, ten and nine, if 
queen is turned up to your left, lead ace. 

All other ace suits, lead the smallest, ex- 
cept with four or more .^mall ones ; then lead 
the ace. 

In trumps, ace and small ones, unless you 
have seven, lead small one. 

FROM KING, ETC. 

King, queen, knave, ten, lead the ten, then 
the queen. 

King, queen, knave, and one small one, 
lead the king, then queen ; if ace does not 
face, then a small one. 

King, queen, knave, and more than one 
small one, lead the knave. 
40 



King, queen and small ones lead the king. 
In trumps, the small one, unless you hold 
seven trumps, or king, queen, ten, etc., then 
lead the king, If king goes around, con- 
tinue with a small one. 

King, knave, and others lead a small one. 

King, knave, ten and others lead the ten. 

King, knave, ten and nine lead the nine. 

In trumps, king, knave, nine, etc., and 
ten, turned up to your right, lead knave. 

In other numerically strong suits, headed 
by king, lead a small une. 

FROW QUEEN. ETC. 

Queen, knave, and ten, lead the queen, then 
knave. 

Queen, knave, ten, nine, or five or more 
of the suit, lead queen, then the lowest of 
the queen, knave, sequence. 

Queen and knave lead a small one, unless 
you have six or more of the suit, then lead 
the queen. 

In trumi>s, queen, knave, nine, etc., if ten 
is turned up to your right, lead queen. 

Queen, knave, and two or more small ones, 
lead a low one. 

In other suits, headed by queen, of four 
at lea:^t, lead a low one. 

41 



i=ROM KNAVE, ETC 

Knave, ten, nine, etc., lead the knave, then 
ten. 

Knave, ten, nine and eight, or five of the 
suit, lead knave and then the lowest of the 
sequence. 

Knave, ten, eight, etc., lead a small one. 

In trumps, knave, ten, eight, etc., if th^; 
nine is turned up to your right, lead the 
knave. 

In other suits, headed by knave, lead a 
small one. 

FROM TEN, ETC 

Ten, nine, eight and another, lead a small 
one. 

In trumps, ten, nine, eight, and another, 
lead the ten. 

ECONO HAND. 

FROM ACE, ETC. 

Ace, king, etc., play king. 

In trumps, it is often right to leave the 
chance cf the first trick to your partner. 

Ace, king, queen, play queen. 

Ace, king, knave, play king. If second 
round comes from the original leader, you 
will then know whether he leads from strength 
or weakness, and finesse accordingly. 

42 



Ace, queen, knave, play knave, with ten 
also, and others belonging to the sequence, 
play the lowest of it. 

In trumps, ace, queen, knave, if king is 
turned up to your left, put on ace. 

Ace, queen, ten, play queen. You thus 
make certain of two tricks, unless you are led 
through twice, and both king and knave lie 
over you. If strong enough in trumps to lead 
them, it is sometimes advisable to put on the 
ten. 

In trumps, ace, rjueen, ten, play ten. 

Ace, queen, and small ones, play a small 
one, unless knave is led by a good player, 
when put on ace. This requires modifica- 
tion towards the close of a hand, for then the 
leader might have the king. 

Ace, queen, and three or more small ones, 
play queen, if weak in trumps, and a small 
one if strong. 

Ace, knave, ten, one or more small ones, 
play a small one. In trumps, play the ten, 
for from king, queen, etc., in trumps, a small 
one is led, but in plain suits the king is led. 

Ace, knave, and one or more small ones, 
play a small one. It is useless to put on 
knave, second hand, in any suit. 

Ace and four small ones, play small one, 

43 



unless the game is in a critical state, and you 
are weak in trumps. If you suspect a single 
card lead, it is often right to put on ace. 

FROM KINO, ETC- 

King, queen and others, play the queen. 

In trumps, play a small one. King, queen, 
ten and small ones, play the ten. King, 
queen, and one small one, play the small 
one. 

In trumps, king, queen, and others, play 
small ones. 

King, knave, ten, etc., play the loMCst of 
knave, ten, sequence. 

FROM QUEEN. ETC 

Queen, knave, etc., queen, knave, ten, etc., 
queen, knave, ten, nine, etc. If you are 
numerically weak, play the lowest of the se- 
quence ; but with more than three cards of 
the suit, play a small one. 

With one honor and one small card of a 
suit and a small card is led, play the small 
one as a rule, but when the circumstances of 
a hand cause you to seize any chance of get- 
ting the lead, it is then often right with ace, 
king, or queen and one small one, to put on 
the honor. 

If you hold king and another, and the 

44 



nine is led. juit on the king, as ihe leader 
must have ace; same if eight is led, and 
you hold king, nine. 

In trumjis^ if king or -[ueen is turned up,, 
and only singly guarded, it is generally best 
to put on the turn-up second hand. 

If you hold king or queen singly guarded, 
and a superior honor is turned up to your 
right, you gain an advantage by putting on 
your king or queen ; if the superior honor 
is turned up to your left, the reverse. 

With queen and another, your partner hav- 
ing turned up ace or king, put on small one, 
second hand. 

If ten is led, and you hold queen and 
another, cover with the queen. With queen 
and two others, pass the ten. 

If ten is led, you hold knave and one or 
more small ones, play a small one. 

If an honor is led and you have a higher 
honor and numerical weakness, cover it. 
With one honor and numerical strength you 
pass an honor led — except you have the ace, 
when put it on. Some players pass king led 
if they hold ace, ten, etc., or pass queen led 
if they hold ace, ten, etc., or king, ten, and 
one small one, but it is generally better to 
cover. 

45 



When you have fourchette, cover, of course ; 
thus, if knave is led, and you have queen, ten, 
etc., put on queen. 

In second round of suit, if you have the 
winning card — in plain suits — generally p^ut it 
on ; in trumps, there are many cases in which 
you should not, especially if you have numeri- 
cal strength in trumps, and a good hand be- 
sides. 

If, when led through in the second round 
of a suit, you conclude from previous fall of 
cards that the second best card is to your right, 
it is sometimes advisable to put on third best, 
thus saving your partner's hand if he holds 
the best. 

THIRD HAND. 

Generally place your highest card third hand 
to strengthen your partner. You presume he 
leads from his strong suit, and wants the win- 
ning cards of it out of his way. You there- 
fore do not finesse, but play your highest, re- 
membering that you play the lowest of a se- 
quence. 

With ace, queen, and with ace, queen, 
knave, etc., in sequence, you do finesse. 

In trumps you may finesse ace and knave, 
if an honor is turned up to your right. vSome 

46 



players hnesse knave with king, knave, etc., 
but it is contrary to principle to fireside in your 
partner's strong suit. 

If your i)artner leads a high card originally, 
you assume it is led from one of the combina- 
tions given in first hand lead, and your play 
third hand must be guarded by a considera- 
tion of the combination led from. 

With ace you pass queen led, you are in 
much the same position as though a small 
card were led, and you finesse with ace and 
queen. 

Knave may be led originally from either 
king, queen, knave, etc., or from knave, ten, 
nine, etc. In either case, if you hold ace 
with one small card, you should play ace in 
plain suits ; but in trumps, or any suit with 
more than one small card you should pass. 

If your only honor is king, you should pass 
knave led. For second hand, having passed, 
you assume ace to be at your left. 

Should the queen be there also, you waste 
the king by covering, and if the queen is to 
your right, the knave forces the ace. 

Ten may be led originally from king, 
queen, knave, ten, etc. If you hold ace, put 
it on; if you hold queen, you should pass. 
Holding ace, queen, your play depends on 

47 



whether you wish to obtain the lead on the 
first round of suit. 

Your partner opens a suit, late in a hand, 
with a high card. Your play, third hand, 
will depend on your judgment of the charac- 
ter of the lead. If it is probable your partner 
has led from a weak suit, you will often be 
right to finebse king, knave, etc., or to pass 
his card altogether, so as not to give up the 
entire command of the suit. Thus, i( ten is 
led, and you hold ace, knave, etc., it is clear 
that the card led is the highest your^ partner 
holds in the suit. You therefore pass, and 
unless both king and queen are to your left, 
you remain with ten ace. 

Similar remarks apply to a forced lead of 
knave when you hold ace, ten, etc. 

If you have considerable strength in a suit 
in which a strengthening card is led, you must 
be guided by your strength in trumps. Thus 
your partner leads knave from a weak suit, 
and you hold ace, king, and small ones, you 
may, as a rule, pass knave, if you are strong 
in trumps, but not if weak. 

In the second round of suit you (third 
player), hold the best and third best cards, 
and you have no indication as to the position 
of the intermediate card, your play should de- 

4^ 



pend on your strength in trumps. If weak, 
secure the trick at once ; if strong, and espe- 
cially if strong enough to lead trumps, it is 
generally right to finesse. 

If you hold second and fourth best, you 
may nearly always finesse ; for you conclude 
that the winning card is over you in the fourth 
hand, as your partner has not led it, and the 
second player has not put it on. If the third 
best lies over you also, you cannot prevent the 
ten ace from making. Thus, if you lead a 
small card from queen, ten, and two small 
ones, your partner wins the first trick with tlie 
king, and returns. a small one. The ace is 
certainly to your left ; you therefore finesse 
the ten, for if your left hand adversary holds 
ace and knave, he must make them both, but 
otherwise your ten forces the ace, and you 
are left with the best. 

It is of no use to finesse against your right- 
hand adversary in a suit in which he has shown 
weakness. For instance, if the second hand 
has none of the suit, and does not trump, you 
(third hand) should not finesse a major ten 
ace, [i.e.y best and third best). This often 
occurs in the second or third round of suit ; 
also if your partner (third player) has won a 
trick very cheaply, and the suit is returned, it 

49 



is rarely of any use to finesse, if you leave the 
winning card. 

In some few positions it is n-ecessary to 
finesse, even if the second player does not hold 
any. Thus, your partner leads knave, and, the 
second hand renounces. If your third play 
hold king, it is useless to cover, as ace and 
queen, in the fourth hand, must make. Again, 
you have the king and two other small trumps 
play a small trump, when the fourth hand will 
be obliged to lead up to your king guarded. 

FOURTH HAND. 

The fourth player having, with few excep- 
tions, merely to win the trick, if against him» 
his play involves no further development oi 
general principles. 

MANAGEMENT OF TRUMP8. 

In the great majority of hands trumps are 
appUed to their special uses, viz.: 

ist. — To disarm the opponents, and prevent 
their trumping your winning cards, and — 

2nd. — To trump the winning cards of the 
adversaries. 

In order to comprehend when trumps may 
be most profitably applied to the first, and 
when to the second of these uses, we must 

50 



first clearly perceive the objects aimed at 
throughout the hand, viz.: To establish a 
suit, to exhaust the adversaries' trumps, and 
to retain the long trump, or a certain winning 
card, with which to get the lead again, for the 
purpose of bringing in the suit ; also to en- 
deavor to obstruct similar designs of the op- 
ponents. 

Lead trumps when very strong in them. 
With great strength in trumps (five or more) 
you may lead them at once to disarm oppo- 
nents, without waiting to establish a suit. The 
exceptional hands are principally : 

1st. — Those which contain five trumps with- 
out an honor, and five small cards of a plain 
suit. 

2nd. — Five trumps without an honor, and 
four middling cards of one plain suit, together 
with four bad cards of another plain suit. But 
if the adversaries are at the score of three^ you 
should lead a trump with these hands, as your 
partners must have two honors, or very good 
cards out of trumps, for you to save the game. 

If you are at the score of three, the adver- 
saries love one or two, you should not lead a 
trump merely because you have five trumps 
with two honors, if they are unaccompanied 
by a very strong suit, or by good cards in each 
suit. F'or here, if your partner has an honor, 
51 



you will probably win the game in any case ; 
if he has no honor, you open the trump suit 
to a disadvantage. 

Bearing in mind the severe consequences of 
leaving the adversary with the long trump, you 
must be cautious in leading trumps from less 
than tive ; four trumps and a moderate hand 
not justifying an original trump lead. You 
should instead lead your strong, plain suit, 
and if you establish it and the adversaries do 
not meantime show any great strength, as by 
leading or calling for trumps, you may then, 
with four trumps, generally venture a trump 
lead. 

Wiih strength in trumps you may generally 
finesse more freely in the second and third 
rounds of trumps than you would in plain 
suits. In plain suits an unsuccessful finesse 
may result in the best card being afterwards 
trumped, which cannot happen in trumps. 
Moreover, by finessing you keep the winning 
trump, and so obtain the lead after the third 
round. 

With a well protected hand containing four 
trumps, tw^o being honors, a trump may be led 
originally, but if your partner turns out weak 
m trumps, you should alter this plan. 

Trump leads without strength in trumps 

52 



can only be right in consequence of some 
special circumstance in the state of the game, 
or of the score, viz.: 

ist. — Cireat commanding strength in all 
plain suits may call for a trump lead. 

2nd. — Or to stop a cross-ruff, in which case 
it is generally advisable to take out two rounds, 
if possible ; so with the winning trump you 
play it out, whatever your others are. 

jrd. — If you have a wretched hand, and you 
are love to three or four, you assume the game 
is lost, unless your partner is very strong, and 
if he is very strong, the trump is the best lead 
for him. This is frequently carried to excess, 
aSj l)y concealing your weakness, you often 
stand a better chance of saving a point, if not 
the game, than l)y at once exposing it. 

RETURNING YOUR PARTNER'S LEAD 
OF TRUMPS. 

Return your partner's lead of trumps at 
once, except he has led from weakness, when 
you return it or not, as suits your hand. 

If you find one of your adversaries without 
a trump, you should generally proceed to es- 
tablish your long suit, and abstain from draw- 
ing two trumps for one. On the other hand, 
if your paitner has no trump, it is often right 

53 



to endeavor to weaken the adversaries by con- 
tinuing even their "trump lead. 

ASKING OR CALLING FOR TRUMPS. 

Whenever you throw away an unnecessarily 
high card, it is a sign (after the smaller card 
drops) that you want trumps led. This is 
called asking for trumps or calling for t7^mps. 
When you ask for trumps you command your 
partner to abandon his game and lead a 
trump, and you promise him, in return, to win 
the game, or make a considerable score. 

The minimum strength in trumps which 
justifies you in issuing such an order is fo2ir 
trumps, two being honors, or five trumps, one 
being an honor, with such cards in your own 
or partner's suits, that you are reasonably se- 
cure of not having a suit brought in against 
you. 

This rule only applies to an original ask. 
If you have had the lead, and did not lead 
trumps, or an opportunity of asking, and have 
not asked, and you then ask for trumps at a 
later period, it is not a command, but merely 
means, from the fall of cards, you consider a 
tnimp lead would be advantageous. 

When your partner asks for trumps, and you 
have four or more at the time you obtain the 

54 



lead, lead the smallest, unless you have ace, 
or three honors, or the queen, knave, ten ; if 
you only have two or three trumps, when you 
obtain the lead, lead from the highest down- 
wards, whatever they are. 

C OF THE CALL. 

If your partner leads a trump, or asks for 
trumps, if you have numerical strength in 
trumps, you should ask at the first opportuni- 
ty. This is called the echo of the call. 

If you have four trumps, and are forcedy 
you should echo, notwithstanding you no 
longer have numerical strength. 

When second hand, do not trump a doubt- 
ful card, if strong in trumps. By a doubtful 
card is meant a card of a suit of which your 
partner may have the best. 

Whether you should trump or not depends 
almost entirely on your strength in trumps. It 
is an advantage to trump when you are weak 
in trumps, for you thus make a little trump. 
It is disadvantageous to trump a doubtful card 
when strong in trumps, for you weaken your 
numerical strength, and diminish the proba- 
bility ol bringing in your suit. If, instead of 
trumping, you throw aw'ay a losing card, you 
inform your partner that you have strength in 

55 



trumps, and also l)y vour discard what your 
strong suit is. 

If you refuse lo ovtrLiunip, ur tiLiiUi) a cer- 
tain winning card, your partner should con- 
clude, either that you have no trump, or more 
probal)ly four trumps and a powerful hand be- 
side.^. 

If you have six trumps, trump in, and then 
lead trump, with five the same, if your suit is 
established. Exceptions : 

ist. — You should not persist in refusing to 
be forced if you find that the adversary has 
entire command of his suit. 

2nd. — You should not refuse if your partner 
evidently intends to force you. 

jrd. — You should not refuse to overtrump if 
you have reason to believe that your left hand 
adversary is strong in trumps. 

FORCE A STRONG TRUMP HAND OF 
THE ADVERSARY. 

If you have numerical strength you are just- 
ified in forcing your partner. 

Do not force your partner if you are weak 
in trumps. You may, however, force your 
partner under these circumstances : 

ist, — When he has already shown a desire. 
t'^ be forced, or weakness in trumps, as by 
-^6 



trumping a floui)ltui carvi, (jr refraining from 
forcing you. 

2nd. — When you have a cross-riifit. 

jrd. — Sometimes when you are playing a 
close game, as for the odd trick, and often 
when one trick wins the game. 

4th. — Sometimes when great strength has 
heen declared against you in trumps. 

If your partner leads a thirteenth card, or a 
card of a suit in which he knows that both 
you and the fourth player renounce, your play 
must depend on your partner's strength in 
trumps. If he is strong he wants you to put 
on your best trump, either to make trumps 
separately, or to force out one or two high 
ones, to leave himself in command. If he is 
weak in trumps he wants you to pass the 
card that the fourth player may obtain the 
lead and lead up to your hand. 

PLAYING TO THE BOARD. 

Play to the score. Watch the fall of the 
cards, and draw your inferences at the time. 



COUPS. 



Leading from lueakest suit. It is advisable 
in most cases where the game is desperate, 
and where it is clear that your partner must 

57 



be strong in your weak suit, lead from your 
weakest suit, notwithstanding Principle i. 
Your partner should finesse deeply in the suit 
you lead him, and should not return it, but 
actuated by motives similar to yours, should 
lead his weakest suit, in which you finesse 
deeply, and continue your weak suit, and 
so on. 

Treating long suits like short ones. It often 
happens towards the close of a hand that an 
unplayed suit, of which the leader holds (say) 
four cards, can only go around twice. In such 
a case, if your suit is headed by queen or 
knave, you should treat it as a suit of two 
cards only, and lead your highest, taking the 
best chance of making two tricks. 

REFUSING TO WIN THE SECOND ROUND 
OF A SUIT 

This is a case of by no means infrequent oc- 
currence. For example : one of the adversa- 
ries has a long suit declared in his favor, whicli 
is led a second time. Only one trump re- 
mains in, wdiich is in the hand of the second 
or fourth player. As a rule the second round 
of the suit should not be trumped. The third 
round will probably exhaust the adverse hand 
which is numerically weak in the suit. If it 
so happens that the player who is numerically 

58 



strong in it has no card of re-entry in any other 
suit, he will then never bring in his long suit, 
as his partner, whose hand is exhausted, can- 
not lead it again, should he get the lead after 
the third round. If there is a card of re-entry 
in the hand of the player who has numerical 
strength, he must bring in the suit, whether 
the second round is trumped or not. 

A similar rule applies, but less frequently, 
when one adversary has the long trumps, and 
his partner a long suit nearly established. 

ING TO DRAW THE LOSING TRUMP. 

When all the trumps are out but two, and 
the leader remains with the best trump, the los- 
ing trump being in the hands of his adversary, 
the natural and obvious play is to draw the 
last trump. 

But there is a class of cases in which the 
trump should not be drawn as a matter of 
course, viz., if one adversary has a long suit 
established, and his partner has a card of that 
suit to lead. 

REFUSING TO OVERTRUMP. 

Cases often happen where it is not advisable 
to overtrump. Most of these depend on the 
fall of the cards and on inferences from the 

59 



play, and cannot be generalized. But there is 
one case in which it is nez^er right to over- 
trump, viz., when three cards remain in each 
hand, and one player holds the second and 
third best trumps, with one of whigh he 
trumps the card led. If the player to his left 
has the best and fourth best trumps, he can 
never gain anything by overtrumping, and 
may lose a trick. 

This rule for not overtrumping cannot be 
laid down absolutely when there are more 
than three cards in hand ; but when only four 
trumps remain in, second and third best against 
best and fourth, it is so frequently advisable not 
to overtrump, that the player should consider 
well the position of the remaining cards be- 
fore overtrumping. 

Since it is so often right not to overtrump 
under these circumstances, it follows that 
when the case arises the player who holds 
second and third best should, as a rule, attempt 
to defeat the coup by playing a false card — 
i.e., he shoujd trump with the higher card in 
hopes of deceiving his left hand opponent as 
to the position of the third best trump. 

THROWING HIGH CARDS TO PLACE THE 
• LEAD. 

This coup presents itself in a variety of forms -. 

60 



the folio wing one is selected as likely to lie of 
use : Whenev^er you are left at the end of a 
hand with the ten ace in trumps (either best 
and third best, or second best guarded) over the 
player to your right, and two other cards, l)Oth 
being cards of the suit led by him, you (second 
hand) should always throw the highest card of 
his lead to that trick. \"ou can never lose by 
so doing, and may \\\u. 

GRAND COUP. 

The Grand Coup consists in throwing away 
a superfluous trump. At the first glance it 
appears impossible to have a superabundance 
of trumps ; but cases sometimes happen where 
a player has a tncmp too many. To get rid of 
this trump — as by undertrumping a trick al- 
ready trumped by your partner, or by trump- 
ing a trick which he has won, or which you 
know he may win — is to play the grand coup, 

CONVERSATION OF THE GAME. 

Afford information by your play. 

You inform your partner by following the 
recognized practice of the game, as by leading 
from your strong suit originally, by leading 
from the highest of a sequence, by following 
suit from the lowest of a sequence, etc., etc. 
6i 



The instructed player frequently selects one 
card in preference to another with the sole ob- 
ject of affording information. 

There are some ways of conveying informa- 
tion which have not been explained. ' The 
most important of these is i}\Q penultimate lead 
from suits of five or more cards. 

For the sake of convenience it has been 
hitherto assumed that the lowest card of a 
strong suit is led originally, except the suit 
contains five cards to the ace, or king, knave 
ten, etc., or is headed by a strong sequence. 
But if the suit contains an intermediate se- 
quence of three cards (say for example, queen, 
ten, nine, eight, and four), the most advanta- 
geous card to lead is the eight. If it turns 
out that your partner is very weak in the suit, 
your eight must force an honor. If your four is 
afterwards played your partner knowing you 
to lead originally from your strongest suit, at 
once gives you credit for having led from a 
suit of at least five cards, of which three, all 
higher than the eight, still remain in your hand. 
The information thus obtained has been found 
in practice to be so valuable, that the rule of 
leading the lowest but one has been extended 
to all original leads from suits of five cards or 
more, whether containing an intermediate se- 
62 



queiice or not. It follows that if a player 
leads originally the lowest card of a suit, he 
has led from a suit of four cards exactly; if he 
leads the lowest but one, he has opened a suit 
of at least five cards. 

Information as to the number of trumps you 
hold can be similarly communicated by trump- 
ing with the lowest but one and then leading 
with the lowest. 

In trumps, if you keep the turn-up card in 
your hand, your partner knows where it is ; 
so having turned up a nine, and holding the 
ten, trump with the ten in preference, but with 
very small trumps of equal value, trumping 
with the higher card may be mistaken for an 
exhibition of four or five trumps. 

If pDu are weak in trumps and your adver- 
saries have shown strength in them, it is not 
advisable to keep the turn-up card, for if the 
adversaries know you have it they will draw 
it, wdiereas if you play it, they are uncertain as 
to your holding another. 

If you have complete command of a suit 
you can publish the fact by discarding the 
highest of it ; the presumption being you 
would never throw away a winning card, 
with a losing one in your hand. 

If you discard a second-best card, you ought 

63 



to have no more of the suit, for with the best 
in your hand you would discard that, and 
with a smaller one you would discard that. 

By winning with the highest and returning 
the lowest of a sequence (more especially 
fourth hand), you know that you have the in- 
termediate cards. 

The Theory of Whist tells you how to play 
your own hand to the greatest advantage, 
how to assist your partner, and how to weak- 
en and to obstruct your opponents. This 
knowledge constitutes a somid player. If to 
theoretical perfection you add accurate obser- 
vation, acute perception, and quick applica- 
tion, you becom.e a master of the science. 



64 



GLOSSARY OF TERMS. 



— ^ Winning Iwu games — i.e., eight 
p«jints — before your adversaries have 
scored. 
niunio rr ti SHI- — Having the best cards of 
that suit ; and when l)y means of those or 
your numerical strength in the suit you 
have exhausted the higher cards which 
were against you, you are said to have es- 
tablished the suit. See Establish. 

'f;/^r'V. — Certain recognized 
methods of playing by which information 
is offered to your partner as to the state 
of your hand, more especiallv as to its 
numerical strength. 

— See See Saw. 
— The card you play when you can- 
not follow suit, and do not trump it. 

— Scoring five before your adversaries 
have scored three. 

— Asking for trumps in response to 
your partner's ask, when but for his de- 
mand you would not have called. 
66 



— The player on the dealer's 
left hand. 



'.:..'. — A suit is said to be established 
when you have exhausted all the best 
cards in it which were against you, and 
thus retain its complete command. See 
Co7n7nand. 

■ Sc Car^: — Playing a card contrary to the 
conventional rules of the game with the 
view of deceiving your adversary ; but as 
it is likely at the same time to mislead 
your partner, the practice is justly repro- 
bated. 

. — An endeavor, when second or 
third player, to take a trick with a lower 
card when a higher is in your hand, in 
the hopes that the intermediate card or 
cards may be with your right hand ad- 
versary or your own partner. 

— Leading a card that compels your 
adversary or partner to play a trump. 

— Scoring five points. This may be 
done in one hand by (a) holding the four 
honors and making the odd trick; (d) 
three honors and three by-tricks ; (c) 
having turned eleven tricks. If neither 
side makes the game in one hand, each 
adds the score they have made to that 

67 



gained in the loUowing hands until one 
has made game. 

Hand. — xhe thirteen cards held by each play- 
er. 

Ho>i.>'. — Ace, king, queen, and knave of 
trumps. The ten is sometimes called the 
fifth honor. 

KiHk: Card. — Xhe best card left in each suit. 
Thus if the ace and king were out, the 
king- card would be the queen. 

/_...'. i'u\ — Xhe commencement of the play 
by the elder hand, or the card played by 
the winner of a trick immediately after 
having won it. 

L.i.u.K — Xhe first to play each round. 

Ltadin. — If you play first 

vou are said to ieaci through your left- 
hand adversary, and 7ip to your right- 
hand adversary. 

icnv; Situ. — One of which you hold originally 
more than three cards. The term is 
therefore indicative of strength in mini' 

— The last of the suit of trumps. 

' ..•-.:. <• A card not likely to make 

trick, and therefore the most available 
inr a ^ discard." 
— No score. 

68 



— To. make a card means to win a trick 
with it. To make the cards means to 
shuffle. 
\.}u>ic: — A term indicative of your plan of 
commencing the game, just as the first 
moves at chess are so termed. 

— Tiie same players playing two 
rubbers consecutively, or, should it be 
necessary, a third rubber, to decide which 
is the best of the three rubbers. 

/.'.v. :-:£ Beginning with the lowest 

card but one of the suit you led origi- 
nally, if it contains more than four cards. 
mi Suits — Suits not trumps. 

— The score made by tricks and hon- 
ors ; for each trick after six one point is 
scored. 

— Sequence of any four cards. 
'•' -^^o/or. — The sequence of the four high- 
est cards of a suit. 

— A trick is said to be quitted when 
Liie four cards constituting it have been 
;^athered up and turned on the table, the 
hand doing so having left them. 
"'' — Sequence of any five cards. 

Winning a trick at an advanced 
j.cii.ju (j^ the hand, so as to secure you 
the lead. 

69 



— To play a card of another suit 
than that led, holding none of the latter. 
- — ^^To play a card of another suit while 
holding a card of the suit led. 
A ./;\'c, — Two games won in succession,or two 
out of three games, constitutes winning a" 
rubber. 

— Another word tor trumping a suit. 
— The points marked by coins, counters 
1 -r otherwise. 

—Partners trumping each a suit, and 
leading to each other for that purpose. 
Also called a Cross-Ruff, 
bicuinit — Three or more consecutive cards 
in the order of their merit. A sequence 
of three cards is called a tierce, of four a 
quart, of five a quint, and so on. Ace, 
king and queen, are called tierce-major. 
An under sequence is one at the bottom 
of the suit. An intermediate^ one of which 
you hold cards both higher and lower. 
■:. fui/ to)- l'}uwpi\ — Throwing 'away an un- 
necessarily high card, following it by a 
smaller card of the same suit. 

A suit of three or less than three 

cards. 

; ii — Making game after your adversary 
has scored three or four up. 
— One card only in a suit. 
70 



— Making every trick. 

— One containing more tliau the 
axcitige number of high cards — in con- 
tradistinction to numerical strength. 
"'' — -The best and third best cards (in the 
same lian<b for 'lie tiiiie I'cinQ- of any 

>U]t. 

— "^cMiiencf oi .ui\ liircc caros. 

■' — ^The sequence of the tliree 
liighest cards of a suit. 

' •. — Scoring uw ',,-t'iine \<^nir a'l\ei"sar\' 
scores one. 

— Four c.U'i-, 'vi/.. llN^ tlirec played 
l<) a card ]e'!. 

I'lie card turned up by 
■ Li\c dc...^.. 

' — Cards of the same suit as tliat 
arned up by the dealer. 

F/i7v Speaking generally, it means 

keeping back best cards and playing sub- 
ordinate ones instead. This is sometimes 
advantageous ii> trumps, or in plain suit 
when strong in trumps, or when trumps 
are out, but such a ruse must be used 
sparingly and with care. 
" >'/ — One containing les^ than the 
average number of high cards — in con- 
tradistinction to a suit short in number 
of cards. 

71 



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